


Time’s A Game That Plays Us All

by GothMoth



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: ClockWork’s A Little Shit, Gen, Identity Reveal, Manipulative! ClockWork, Messing With The Observants, Mythology - Freeform, Origin Myths, Reveal, ghost prince Danny, making ClockWork even more overpowered, mentor ClockWork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21584707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothMoth/pseuds/GothMoth
Summary: ClockWork sees all the plays that can be taken, then substitutes their own. And Danny’s always been their king.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 293
Collections: A Phantom Rule





	Time’s A Game That Plays Us All

**Author's Note:**

> Using the tropes: Play-Along Prisoner and Take A Third Option

There’s a legend of old, from a long time ago. Something you could find if you flipped through a ghost hunters book selection. Having been written about in the first incarnation of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, still remaining largely unchanged outside of language from this original copy, in every subsequent edition. This legend so vital that the creature behind it was listed as a co-author in the book itself. If you asked any ghost hunter why, they’d say it was obvious, much of the information came from this creature. Their work, their profession, was spurred by the very same creature.

See back in the day, before ghost hunting, before any knowledge of ghosts, there had always been stories and rumours of strange glowing creatures. Some humanoid, some animalistic. They caused havoc or skittishly avoided the humans, though most wrote them off as visions or the ravings of the mad/ill. That is except for a select few, eventually anyway. The select few who knew, came to know, when a small little creature who held age in their eyes yet the form of a small buck-toothed child made their presence known to these select few. The first being Galvion Ingride Whitefoot, Adrian G. Groove -ever followed by an albino tiger-, Exterian Slav Break, and Josephine D. Fetonightingal. Of course they had all known each other, to some degree. Met on occasions, even if their respective families grew apart to the point where eventual modern relatives were unawares. But together they had written the first edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, after the glowing floating child -with no legs to speak of- had offered their hand and words. Had spoken of another world, filled with creatures of wonder and horror much the same as the creature themselves. Had told them of the nature of these creatures' existence, the dead yet given ‘life’ anew. How they had pointed where they needed to go to find such similar creatures in their living world. Allowed them to witness the power these creatures could wield and how to protect against it. 

At first all had questioned the small, well-spoken and mild-mannered creature; and of course they contained/trapped it as best they could. Why would they tell them such things? Give them tools to fight or defend? But they learned that this one, who used their dark purple cloak to hide, instead of invisibility. How they floated _around_ not through things. How they never fired off one of those ecto-blasts, as they said they were called. They all came to realise that this creature did not possess the abilities of the others. And not only that, but none of the other creatures seemed to know the child-like ones’ name; yet they often knew each other’s. These four also noted how every creature they encountered seemed to represent something: sleep, plants, weather, water, electricity, and so on. 

Leaving them all to come to the conclusion that this blue-skinned one, with their words of guidance, represented humanity's defence against these creatures. That they were nature’s way of defending her living children and revealing, through the presence of this weak yet wise creature, who would do it best. It was also decided that the strange ticking thing in the ghost's chest represented the growth and time needed to develop and guide a new ghost hunter. Every human who saw this creature, captured it, came to these very same conclusions; and as the story goes, as soon as they did, that very creature would appear with their soft smile and crimson eyes and tell them the name of these creatures they were to fight ‘ghosts’. Then they’d be seen no more. This final appearance came to be seen as the universes seal of approval for the ghost hunter. Their graduation from a young apprentice, learning their role in the world, to ghost hunter in true; and every single one would go on to be masters of their craft, pioneers. 

Of course, in the many years that followed, not every ghost hunter saw and caught this small wise ghost, but every single one that did went on to be influential. Those that didn’t, regardless of drive, never seemed to stick with the field, never excelled at creating their own weapons, never made any new discoveries. So it was something of an understood truth that this ghost knew who would make a good true ghost hunter, and simply did not waste their time with any others. 

For Jack Fenton, he had seen the ghost in his early youth, had learned everything with wild abandon. Of course his family had _always_ known of ghosts and of the legend, to say they had been ecstatic when Jack claimed to have captured the ghost, would be an understatement. 

Maddie Fenton, on the other hand, met this ghost only shortly before meeting Jack. But the knowledge the small ghost gave seemed so _obvious_ to her, so _right_. Meeting Jack had been easy and obvious after that. The two lovers had felt a little bad for their friend Vlad, having never seen or heard of this ghost. But they knew even those not chosen could be good ghost hunters, and who were they to reject someone’s passion? Though neither was truly surprised when he seemingly dropped out of the ecto-field all together, especially with the accident. Though Maddie’s pretty sure she saw him flipping through a Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book and scoffing at the small ghost, muttering that clearly this little ghost was nothing but a silly myth. 

And now, Jack finds himself flipping through his Fenton family edition of the Hunter’s Wisdom Essentials Guide Book, smiling fondly and reminiscing slightly over the sketch of the old wise ghost. Though frowning slightly as he traces the scar on the ghosts face. He remembers asking how that happened, after all it was known that he did not use to have it. The only answer he had ever gotten was ‘such is the marks of old beasts that watch, the foolish and power-mad who can not tolerate what they can not control’. Jack gathers it was from another ghost, one who somehow knew of and how to find the small ghost that no others seemed to. 

He turns his head and smiles as his wife sits down. Maddie looking at the book and smiling herself, speaking quietly, “wonder if either of the kids will see him”. 

Jack chuckles, “surely one will! At least one Fenton child always does. Heck! Both me and my brother did”. 

Maddie giggles slightly and nods before frowning a little, “I do worry though Jack dear. Neither seem to have any interest. In fact, they almost seem put-off”. 

“I wouldn’t give up faith yet Mads. You certainly had no interest when you were their age after all!”. 

Maddie giggles and nods, silently joining her husband in flipping trough the heirlooms pages. 

ClockWork watches the interaction through one of many viewing portals, smiling ever so slightly. Turning their head to another, watching Daniel teasing and insulting Walker before flying lazily home. 

Everything had worked out as it should. Everyone was where and who they needed to be. And yet there was a roadblock. A _problem_. Daniel’s skill at lying and hiding was a much-needed one, a true necessity. But even a fool could see the rift it caused and how it blocked the future of progress. 

Ghost hunters, though needed for their purposes, had become advanced enough to pose threats. Not just to single ghosts, but every ghost, the world even. Such a level of advancement was needed of course, had resulted in Phantom. But now, the Observants were nervous, many ghosts were. Enough so that the Zone itself was being affected by all the negative emotions. That wouldn’t change if change didn’t happen. ClockWork chuckles over such phrasing, they had a plan of course, always did. Ghost hunters needed to change, their opinions needed to change. It had to come from the influential of course, not from ClockWork themselves, that wasn’t their purpose. They were a guider not a symbol of change. No, that was Phantom’s place, Daniel’s place. 

Phantom couldn’t be exposed yet, not quite, but the forming rift with his parents would cause issues if it continues to grow before the day came for them to know exactly who and what Daniel was. 

Looking back to the portal with the two parents, this provided an opportunity of sorts. ClockWork knows that while they look at this scene, the book, with a slight smile the Observants instead frown. More than a little displeased with ClockWork’s past decision. 

See ClockWork always has some plan or another, some idea for the future. That was part of their purpose after all. So of course they did back when humans had first come into existence in genuine, started making the world their bitch so to speak. All the other ghosts at the time, ClockWork’s fellow Ancients, firmly refused the idea that these weak fleshy creatures would ever pose any kind of threat to them. They existed in two different dimensions, sure there were occasionally natural portals between the two planes but all the other mortal creatures never paid any mind to any ghosts causing mischief or hanging about; why would these ‘humans’ be any different. 

ClockWork knew better, saw better; so they acted better. Humans would know of ghosts, of course they would, there was no possible future where they would not. And humans were egotistical creatures, things that would steamroll over all other species they could. They also would grow to have a never-ending love for knowledge, that was something ClockWork could appreciate; feel fond of. 

So while the other ghosts dismissed these humans ClockWork made plans, made themselves known to the humans. The other ghosts that even knew of ClockWork were uneasy with this but even back then no one questioned ClockWork, well...besides those foolish Observants; who thankfully did not yet exist. 

ClockWork appeared to them with careful forethought, let the human capture them, and the knowledge that there really was only two options. Neither of which ClockWork paid any mind. Though fine, technically humans could be blocked out from knowing about ghosts, eliminate any who truly became knowledgable; ClockWork could certainly do that, but that would be far less interesting. 

So either humans would know and live in fear, or they would know and come to make it impossible for new earth ghosts to be formed. Both options would make halfas impossible, coexistence impossible. So ClockWork hardly considered them actual options. 

Instead letting humans know ghosts, but with the added effect of appealing to their pride. The human belief that they where the top species. That they could crush anything. Simply by showing them weaker ghosts, by altering natural ghost portals, by appearing to them as a guiding hand and without their staff visible, by allowing themselves to be seen as ‘trapped’. And so ClockWork became the stuff of legends to them, and an utter unknown to ghosts; excluding those eyeballs of course. 

And why did they exist? The Observants? Well, because their fellow Ancients felt there needed to be overseers, never knowing they already had one in ClockWork. Leaving them with more decisions to make, plans to enact. Of course these knew ghosts would know of ClockWork, be insulted and fearful of the master of time’s power. All beings fear the powerful that they can not control. So these new ghosts would try to control ClockWork, try to force their hand, try to remove or alter them. The Observants, like all creatures, would have motives of their own; would lack objectivity. So either ClockWork was to find a way to hide from them or accept their future actions towards them. Or ClockWork could interfere, alter _them_ to ClockWork’s own design. Bar them from being able to act, from being able to harm. They would be watchers and watchers _only_. The ghosts would get what they want, and ClockWork would do as ClockWork pleases. Sure ClockWork could just stop them from successfully creating the Observants at all, but where’s the fun in that? Plus, annoying them would become a beloved past time. 

So ClockWork lets the other ghosts see these Observants as all powerful overseers; as judge, jury and executioner. Let the Observants fool themselves too. Sure they had enough power to lock up any ghosts that ClockWork, unknowingly to them, let them lock up. But ClockWork would stand as the only executioner, and they knew that. 

This decision also helped ClockWork remain an unknown to other ghosts, the Observants didn’t want their lack of power, lack of ability to act, known; and ClockWork was the proof of that. But since ClockWork exists in every different possible future there was, the Observants could never truly control who knew and who didn’t. Only ClockWork could, simply manipulate toward the future they wanted in such a way that the Observants couldn’t so much as object beyond complaining pointlessly. 

Smirking at the viewing portal as the two parents head to the lab, it was showtime. ClockWork _never_ appeared to ghost hunters after they finished their apprenticeship, humans need to bloom and blossom of their own accord; else you hurt their egos. But rules were there to be broken and rules couldn’t hold ClockWork. In short, they were a dirty little cheater. 

Jack’s leaning over a microscope while Maddie jerks up and gapes, absentmindedly pushing the button to activate the ghost containment cell right where the familiar purple-cloaked ghost floated. She knew shapeshifting ghosts existed and both her and Jack’s time with him was long past. This couldn’t possibly be? Could it? She speaks softly while the ghost just floats there with a soft smirk, “Jack dear, I think you should look at this”.

Jack looks up, a bit caught off guard by his wife’s cautious but awed tone. He promptly drops the slide he was holding, it shattering as it hits the ground, “you? but it can’t be. Why?”. 

ClockWork grins, and gives their typical half-truths, “oh I’m not here to play guide for you. I’ve merely made use of the weakened veil here”, gesturing to the Fenton portal, “that is why you find me here”.

Maddie tilts her head, this was clearly not a fake, “we always just thought you stayed in the mortal world somehow or travelled through natural portals”. 

“Not all means bare the same outcomes”, ClockWork glances at the stairs, “and maybe you ought research through more wandering means. You might find something interesting”.

Maddie squints slightly, “and what are you going to do. You never need to go through such indirect means to get to new hunters”. 

ClockWork smiles, of course this confrontation was completely avoidable but they had a test to give, “you’ll understand in time. There are plenty of paths one could take. Most often the path I point along is walked with me alone. But every so often that road must open to accommodate fellow travellers”.

Maddie and Jack exchange a look before Jack gets up, asking with barely contained excitement, “are you saying we get to help who your guiding! Oh this is so awesome Mads!”.

ClockWork smiles as the two head up the stairs, “we’ll see how the road forks. They’ll find me, no worries about the shield”. Maddie squints back at them, clearly wondering how whoever was going to find them but deciding that they hardly could do harm in the shield and were trustable enough to leave alone. Unaware they could simply teleport out. 

Ten minutes later Danny comes home and phases through the ceiling invisibly to empty his thermos, only to pause and gape slightly before chuckling and shaking his head at spotting ClockWork inside the ghost containment cell. Emptying the thermos as he speaks, “hey CW, um why? Not that I’m questioning your ways, but I’m questioning your ways”. 

ClockWork floats towards him, separated only by the shield while Danny transforms back human. ClockWork speaking with a slight smile, “you’re mortal guardians are as paranoid as expected to the appearance of ghosts, even those they think fondly of”. 

Danny blinks and jerks slightly, “wait, my parents _know you? ‘Think fondly’ of you?_ ”, Danny’s not surprised his folks would trap some ghost in the containment cell, that was literally the point. And it’s not like ClockWork actually needed help getting out. 

ClockWork gives a slow nod, “but of course. Many ghost hunters do”. 

“ _Why???_ ”.

“The same reason I involve myself in anyone’s existence, to guide them on their path”. 

Danny shakes his head, this was a little absurd, “so you’ve been responsible for people becoming hunters? Why would you do that? Wouldn’t it be better for the people that want to obliterate and tear apart molecule by molecule, every ghost, not to know things?”. 

ClockWork holds up a hand and gestures around, “dealing with such things, with antagonism, strengthens us and our defences. Of course, only to so many degrees. With humans, we’ve always had two options, bar the mortals from knowing of ghosts or have them know but fear our power. I merely ensured they’d instead believed they could face us in might”. 

Danny snorts and rolls his eyes a little, “so you let them believe a lie?”, shrugging, “and fine, if anyone knows that fighting and experiencing all the ways people can come up to hurt you, can make you stronger; then it’s me”. 

ClockWork sticks up a finger, “indeed you do, and I let you believe your family would die; lies have their benefits”. 

Danny glares slightly, “that was low”. 

ClockWork completely dismisses his displeasure, “good truths are always low blows”, smiling slightly, “besides, how better to control who gets to be a hunter and harvest a collection of apprentices”. 

Danny blinks at that, “wait, what?”. 

ClockWork smirks, Danny could be hard to really surprise or confuse nowadays, “how do you think any of them know anything about ghosts? I’m a wise fellow”, ClockWork gestures to the ghost shield. 

Danny blinks at them, “oh my Ancients. Do you just _let hunters capture you_ to teach them random things?”, sure Danny had done the dumbshit and let his folks capture him but they were _his parents, family_ , it was different. 

ClockWork just responds like this was perfectly reasonable and expected. “precisely”. 

Danny facepalms, speaking with slight humour though, “my guardian is an idiot”. 

ClockWork waves him off, “oh hardly, I always know the outcomes. Plus it’s high _time_ your family knows your guardian”, Danny instantly looks rather panicked and disbelieving, so ClockWork continues, “they won’t be bothered, in fact, they’ll find it quite the good sign. A sign you’ll be a ‘helpful’ spector, seeing as they believe you’ll be a ghost”. 

Now Danny’s gaping again, “ _excuse_?”. 

“Daniel, you set off their detectors and literally can’t be de-ecto-contaminated. _Of course, they think you’re going to become a ghost_ ”. 

Danny throws his hands out to the side and walks in a little circle, “well that’s news to me”. 

“They don’t mention it because they don’t want to scare you”, floating to follow Danny as he walks around the room a little and holding up a finger, “but now you can get them to open up through revealing you at least know the same, without giving away that you know because you already are”, smirking, “thanks to a helpful guardian”. 

Danny blinks, realising this’ll pretty much get him off the hook for tons of weird ghostly shit, “you sneaky bastard”. ClockWork gives a devilish grin just before Maddie and Jack come down the stairs. 

Jack beams, thinking back on the earlier words of the tiny ghost, “Danny-boy! So you’ve seen the little guy!”, walking up and patting Danny on the shoulder, who just looks confused and a bit freaked out. While Jack keeps talking, hopefully explaining this particular ghost will make his rather ghost fearing son less seemingly freaked, “this one’s the spirit of hunters! Our profession! Always appears before and guides those destined to be hunters! This is great!”, wiping a tear from his eye, “my boy’s gonna be a fine hunter”.

Danny has to hold back a laugh at calling ClockWork ‘the spirit of hunters’ while also deciding to not jump the gun on what his parents actually know about ClockWork, “er and what do you call them?”, Danny deadpanning, “if you say ‘Hunter’ I will be deeply disappointed”. 

Maddie shakes her head with a smile, “don't be silly sweetie, this is an important day in your destiny of being a ghost hunter”, smiling at the tiny spirit, “we call him Herne”. Jack butts in, “which is why the name means mythical hunter!”, smiling some, “even if he’s a tiny thing with no abilities to actually hurt anyone with”. 

Danny looks at ClockWork, firmly realising humans know goddamn nothing about them. Maybe they weren’t _too_ much of an idiot. Flicking his eyes back to his parents, “no abilities?”.

Jack nods, surely this ghost being weaker will ease his son up some, “being able to form and float is really all he can do”, smiling at the little ghost, “not that that matters, he’s a wise little guy”. 

ClockWork chuckles, “yes, foresight and a keen mind makes up for much. Doesn’t it”, holding up a hand, “but I am here for a different reason of sorts”. 

Danny’s instantly nervous as his parents look ClockWork with confusion and slight caution. 

Jack and Maddie exchange a glance, surely this explained the strange way the little ghost had appeared. Why _they_ caught the ghost and not Danny. Maddie asking, “his paths a little different, isn’t it?”. While Jack frowns slightly, “is he not going to be a hunter?”.

ClockWork smiles softly, “to you I am but a giver of wisdom and guidance, a mentor of sorts and a hand to point in the right direction”, turning to Danny and smiling, while Danny just looks nervous as ClockWork continues, “but to him I am guardian. A mentor in truth and spiritual parent of sorts, for a young little ghost”. Danny does his damnedest to not outwardly cringe over being point-blank called a ghost by a ghost, in front of his parents. 

Jack and Maddie go a little wide-eyed before smiling again, Jack beaming at ClockWork, “that’s great! So he’ll be like you then!?! A guiding spirit, rather than like all those malicious ghosts!”, Jack taps his chin, “though that still doesn’t explain why we needed to be seeing you again”.

While Maddie looks more softly at Danny and holds her hands to her chest then, picking up that he seemed a bit nervous but not exactly surprised, “and you’re alright knowing this? That you’ll be a ghost some day? You don’t seem all that surprised”. 

Danny rubs his neck, “heh, well I mean, half your stuff already calls me one and all that”. ClockWork thankfully takes mercy on him and adds in, “and after all, we have met before”.

Maddie and Jack both blink at Danny, Jack instantly asking, “well why didn’t you say so Danny-boy?!?”. Though Maddie clues in that Danny not telling them about this was _exactly_ why Herne showed up to them. He decided that they needed to know about this, likely for Danny’s future development. Which means that Danny likely wouldn’t have told them on his own. 

Danny glances at ClockWork and gives them the stink-eye, officially not very thankful. Before looking back to his parents, “well, you’ve never actually talked nice about _any ghost_. And I didn’t want to get into an argument about them”, rubbing his neck a bit and knowing his folks will be a little more than not happy about this in one regard anyway, “they saved my life after all, so it would bug me someone talking bad about them”. 

Both of them instantly look to ClockWork, practically beaming at the ghost though fretting over their son even needing his life saved. Maddie nodding at them, “thank you. If we weren’t already on good terms, we would be now”. 

Jack throwing an arm around Danny and hugging him a bit protectively, “but what could have put his life in danger? Especially in a way for you to be saving him?”. 

Maddie nods and looks a little sheepish, “you’re not exactly a powerful one”. 

Danny sends ClockWork a bit of a pleading look because his folks calling basically the _strongest ghost ever_ 'weak', was too absurd and funny for him to not eventually break down laughing over. 

ClockWork eyes the ghost shield they’re ‘trapped’ behind, wondering which path the two will take. Trust them and let the shield down or hold on to their ghost bigotry and keep it up. Be the first to really be around them without them being captured in some device or shield. Smirking slightly as Jack, noticing ClockWork’s eyeballing of the shield, promptly deactivates it. ClockWork floats over to pat Danny’s head before turning to the two parents, ClockWork speaking while Danny’s a bit in shock from his parents actually smiling over a ghost touching him, “indeed, there are some ghosts who fear other ghosts with influence. Seek to get rid of them before they can gain said influence”. 

Danny knows damn well ‘influence’ is just a subtle way to say ‘powerful’. And he’s also feeling a slightly renewed distaste for the Observants. 

Maddie scoffs, “of course those spooks would dislike any ghost,”, glancing at Danny, “or ghosts, that help humans”. 

Jack taps his chin, looking to ClockWork, “I imagine these ghosts can’t destroy ones like you?”, looking at Maddie before looking back to ClockWork, “we always thought you avoided being harmed or bothered by other ghosts by simply being unknown to them”. 

ClockWork chuckles, “most don’t know of me. But there are other reasons”, looking to Danny, “and they’re welcome to really know me, Daniel. It would be rather mean to have your mortal family not know your ghostly one”. 

Danny tilts his head back, “oh thank Ancients”, though he knows damn well ClockWork isn’t fine with them knowing because it would be ‘mean’ otherwise. 

ClockWork smirks, “no need to thank me”, Danny makes a face at them for that before chuckling. 

Jack smiles, “well I’m glad you have similar humour!”, looking at the little spirit and tilting his head some, “are you saying we don’t know everything about you? That we’re missing a lot?”. 

Maddie smiles sweetly at Jack, “Jack dear, he’s never so much as told us if he has a real name. It is expected”. 

Danny shakes his head, “I'm kind of amazed you trust them at all then”. 

Maddie ruffles Danny’s hair, “well, he is why we are hunters really and he’s harmless”.

Danny chuckles and eyes ClockWork, who nods, “you can tell them much of what you know of me”, smirking mischievously, “I encourage it in fact”. 

Danny squints at them and chuckles, “you just want to enjoy causing confusion and startling them”. 

ClockWork nods with a slight smile, speaking almost cruelly, “and piss off the Observants, of course”. 

Danny blinks and turns fully to them, “you really did just name drop them huh?”, turning back to his parents and rubbing his neck, “Observants, those are the ghosts that tried to ‘get rid of me’”. 

Jack scowls, “well we hate them then”. 

ClockWork nods, “good, now you’ll never help them”. ClockWork doesn’t need their viewing portals to see the Observants shrieking in annoyance and trashing five different plots to restrict multiple different ghosts. 

Danny squints at them, “do you always have to have five different reasons for doing things?”, shaking his head and looking back to his parents and gesturing his arms out to ClockWork, “this is weird but, um, this is ClockWork and they are not even kind of close to the definition of weak or harmless”. 

Maddie tilts her head at ClockWork then Danny, “but we’ve scanned him, them, nothing but floating really”. While Jack beams and tries out the name ‘ClockWork’ a few times before asking, “does your name have any meaning?!? Ghost’s names often do”. 

Danny squints at ClockWork, Danny knows how he himself tricked their scanners but ClockWork was a full ghost, “how did you even pull that off?”, Danny squints more and really looks ClockWork over before facepalming, “your staff?”. ClockWork’s power was focused in their staff after all.

ClockWork grins and summons their staff, making Maddie blink and get slightly closer to look the staff over quickly; though never actually touching it, “oh! You do actually have some kind of weapon”. 

While ClockWork nods at Maddie, “yes and no, this is much more a conduit than a weapon. I do have a scythe as well though”, Danny can’t help but chuckle at that a little; full well knowing that weapon was used exclusively for reaping ghosts that needed to be removed, which was a bit hilarious. While ClockWork promptly startles both of the parents by suddenly changing into their adult form, speaking while they gape at the ghost they only ever knew as a small child-like ghost, “as for my name, it indeed holds plenty meaning. It is, after all, my job and purpose to ensure that the hands on the universe's clock go round and round, until oblivion can no longer be chased off”. 

Danny chuckles and shakes his head at ClockWork, who changes to the form of an old man. Danny speaking to his parents, “they mean time control, guys. The very fabric of time is basically theirs to bend and alter”, rolling his hand, “add in being able to see all of the past, present, and every future possible”, looking at ClockWork, “they’re arguably one of the most powerful ghosts there is, not to mention oldest”. 

The two adults raise their eyebrows a bit at ClockWork who nods ever so slightly, “I’ve been around since the beginning, guiding the universe along on its most lengthy path. Watching everything grow along exactly as its supposed to be. Of course that also means I plan when each being eventually stops and falls, guide them to when it is best they be destroyed”. 

Maddie mutters a bit startled and less than pleased, “so you’re more neutral than good, less altruistic and more manipulative”. 

Danny instantly shakes his head, “no, they’re just more altruistic on a universal scale, the bigger picture kind of thing. A true neutral, completely objective, I guess”. 

ClockWork nods and speaks while patting Danny’s head, “precisely”, sending the parents a small smile, “I have no interests towards ghosts, nor humans, nor earth; but rather existence and time itself”, chuckling a little and side-eyeing Danny slightly, “and I must say, I’ve certainly pushed and pulled many a thing to ensure Daniel exists precisely as he does and will”.

Jack blinks at Danny and pats him on the shoulder, “is he really going to be that important?”, chuckling at Danny, “no pressure son”. 

Danny barely stops himself for muttering ‘too late’ and instead just nods slightly. While Maddie’s releasing that this ghost can’t truly be trusted, humans were _not_ where their priorities lay. But that they absolutely did have her son's survival? benefit? well-being? happiness? -well, maybe not that last one. Something tells her that ClockWork would harm or traumatise anyone for the sake of the universe- at their metaphorical heart. 

ClockWork smirks, “that is for time to know and the world to see. But if you must know, him simply existing as he does has saved the world more than once”. Danny has to resist cringing at that, seeing as they were pretty effectively leaving out him _causing_ it once. 

Jack beams at that, his boy was already doing good! Somehow. Promptly hugging Danny, “good for you Danny-boy! Though I wonder how you managed that?”.

Everyone looks to ClockWork then, full well knowing they know exactly how. They simply smirk, “now that would be telling, wouldn’t it. The simplest of things can change everything, even picking up a rock verses not, could alter everything. Even how much someone knows or doesn’t, can”. 

Danny chuckles a little fondly, which his parents definitely pick up on, while Danny speaks, “you’re always an enigma huh”. 

Jack and Maddie smile a little fondly, though feeling like outsiders a bit as the two seem to one-up each other in sounding confusing. They both knew their boy was a bit odd, an enigma, so clearly they were two of a kind. That makes it clear Danny’s future lied with this ghost, rather than their profession; whatever that actually meant. Maddie decides to push that, he’s their boy, they _should know_ what his job/future was/would be. Looking at ClockWork, “you’ve still got a way with words, but what are you even guiding Danny with?”.

ClockWork gives both the honest answer and the most confusing one, “everything and nothing. The same as that which you do, except with less restraints and a finger in every pie”, smiling at Danny, “a Guardian has the role of parent when dealing with ghosts”. 

Jack’s a bit confused but that’s pretty come-by, “but ghosts don’t need to be taught how to ghost?”.

Maddie shakes her head slightly and tilts her head, “But _what is he going to be doing?_ ”. 

ClockWork pats Danny’s head, they were not wrong, even with a halfa. Though no ghost just knew how the Zone’s politics worked. But the existence of many levels of law and government within the Zone was not for them to know, not yet. “But of course, ghosts know themselves well, but not so much other ghosts. After all, have you met any who know of me? And”, holding up a finger and smirking at Maddie, “everything. He’ll find there’s little he won’t do”.

Maddie blinks and mutters, “are you trying to say he’s going to be all powerful or control ghosts”. 

Danny makes a damn point not to react, considering the whole High Ghost Prince thing, meaning his mom was absolutely right. Though he then gapes at ClockWork and throws his hands out to the side as they promptly teleport away with a twirl of their staff and a wink. Danny groans at the thin air where they used to be, “seriously time-pants?”.

Jack and Maddie both can’t help but laugh while Danny grumbles more while looking at them, “they always make their timing dramatic”. 

Jack nods a little, “I did nearly face-plant into them when they showed up for me”. Maddie giggles a little but nods, “they startled me enough that I set my original college application on fire”.

Danny snorts, “tossed through a time portal and slammed my face into a giant bell, five times”. Jack chuckles, “that’s way more silly”.

Maddie nods but looks Danny over, “do you know what that wink meant?”.

“Probably five different things. One part is definitely just to cause mischief and drama. Could be referring to a possible future or just wants to let someone think that’s the case”, is Danny lying a little? Yeah. Is he just going to out the whole prince/future king thing? Ancients no. 

Maddie shakes her head and mutters, “now I'm questioning everything to do with them“.

Danny snorts and goes to walk upstairs, “either question everything or accept everything. Both at the same time? I go with that”. 

Jack mutters as Danny leaves fully, “I don’t think you can do that really”. 

ClockWork watches through a viewing portal, the questions were in place and, watching with a slight smirk as pissed off Observants inadvertently knock a very particular book from the future through a strategically placed portal and lands on the Fenton lab floor, said questions would be answered. 

While Jack spots the glowing book and gets a little excited, the two instantly start flipping through to find it’s a storybook, a book telling the tale of a legend. 

A king of youth in a castle of dark brick, lording over a word of mythical creatures of the dead persuasion. Spoken of as kind and just, yet powerful and resolute. A black and white dragon, with eyes that see every shade. Who proved his strength through countless battles, and a battered body that moved with pride. Who proved his mind through quick-witted wordplay, and hiding amongst the enemy. 

But what really caught the parents’ eyes were the black and gray pictures, the sketches. Largely of landscapes, the castle of course and the flora filled land surrounding it. But also some of a blazing crown and extravagant cape, a sword of ice carved with flowers and skulls. Though they trace their fingers over the silhouette drawing of this king, swinging the sword at another figure with a near-identical physique but flaming hair and snake tongue. It’s titled ‘First Trial’. The king could easily be an older Danny, but they couldn’t be certain. 

But what really makes them pause and share a glance is a landscape piece, where a strange clocktower could be seen in the background. Surrounded by floating gears, much the same as the one ClockWork wore for a clasp. 

Maddie squints down at the image and runs off looking for a microscope, coming back and hovering it over one of the windows in the clocktower to see ClockWork -in child form- winking right at her with a circular something showing the image of her and Jack leaning over this very book. Maddie jerking back and whispering, “Zone that cheeky bastard”, before flipping to the last page. Both parents blinking down at a familiar-sounding quote signed with a fanciful yet nearly illegible ‘CW’. 

_“Existence is a story we weave, but a story unread is a story yet to be solidified. What we know can change everything, and once knowledge is written and known, it becomes something to last forevermore”._

Jack scratches his head and mutters, “did we just ensure Danny would become a king or something, or a paradox would happen?”.

Maddie knits her fingers together and speaks into her hands, “I think we did”.

Neither parent’s sure whether they should scream and be pissed or be proud.

ClockWork simply smiles while two Observants float in demanding, “ClockWork, what did you do”.

“My job”. 

“It’s your _job_ to watch time, _not_ play favourites. He will _destroy us_ ”. 

ClockWork turns and levels them with an unreadable gaze, “you mean further restrict and take your power? Precisely. Just because I am not a player on the field doesn’t mean I’m not in control. Time is the field board, and I tilt as I please. You’re simply referees, you are nothing without the players and you’ve been betting on the wrong ones. All in the name of your search for dominance. For those you could control or who lacked the strength to ever stand against you. But in the end”, ClockWork floats to be closer to them almost menacingly, “this game is played in a grandiose casino, and the house _always_ wins in time”. 

**End.**


End file.
